When

When life or a situation feels impossible or overwhelming I can overcome my obstacles in time.

If I cannot solve a problem on my own, I am resourceful enough to search out the answers.

I have people I trust who will give me their support and love during this difficult time.

All things pass, and so shall this.

I have overcome many obstacles and difficult times in my life and I know that this may change me or my life, but it will be for the better.

I can find a little more strength to overcome my obstacles because I haven’t explored all of my options yet.

I am a survivor; I am resilient and strong.

I rejoice in my accomplishments and successes, and I will soon celebrate this one as well.

I know God is on my side.

You Ca't Ask For Anymore Than That

Always keep the faith, have a sense of humor, and do good deeds at random in your life. God always has your back, if only you'll let Him. Don't take everything so seriously. Keep levity in your daily life, as it really is the best medicine. Give aid to strangers, because the blessings will come back to you ten-fold, impacting their life and yours in a positive way. It might only be a smile, opening a door for someone, or giving guidance along the way but it will leave you with a positive affirmation for your good deeds.

It's a matter of validation of one person to another that we see them, that we care, and that they matter. We all need that sense of worth. Too often we fail in acknowledging one another as we should. Make a concerted effort to say "Hi, Hello, Howdy, and Thank You" whenever you can, because it'll make a difference in keeping a positive attitude.

You don't need to worry about what others have or don't have. You don't need to keep up with the "Jones" or your friends, because you are living your life, not theirs. Be you. Do yourself. Find what you enjoy doing and be that in your living.

Enjoy your work, for one-third of each day is spent in your labors. Live a holy, clean life, for you are an influence to others who are looking for guidance in life.

Don't wait until you are on your death bed and talk about your coulda-woulda-shouldas and regret what you have or have not done. Be prepared to meet God with a smile on your face, reflecting the accomplishments of your life. Be thankful to have enjoyed what God always wanted for yoy---a fulfilled and joyful life. You can't ask for any more than that.

I hope You Dance

I Hope You Dance . . .

This was written by an 83-year-old woman to her friend.

* The last sentence says it all. *

Dear Bertha,

I'm reading more and dusting less. I'm sitting in the yard and admiring the view without fussing about the weeds in the garden. I'm spending more time with my family and friends and less time working. 

Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experiences to savor, not to endure. I'm trying to recognize these moments now and cherish them. 

I'm not "saving" anything; we use our good china and crystal for every special event such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, or the first Amaryllis blossom. 

I wear my good blazer to the market. My theory is if I look prosperous, I can shell out $28.49 for one small bag of groceries. I'm not saving my good perfume for special parties, but wearing it for clerks in the hardware store and tellers at the bank. 

"Someday" and "one of these days" are losing their grip on my vocabulary. If it's worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now. 

I'm not sure what others would've done had they known they wouldn't be here for the tomorrow that we all take for granted. I think they would have called family members and a few close friends. They might have called a few former friends to apologize and mend fences for past squabbles. I like to think they would have gone out for a Chinese dinner or for whatever their favorite food was. 

I'm guessing; I'll never know. 

It's those little things left undone that would make me angry if I knew my hours were limited. Angry because I hadn't written certain letters that I intended to write one of these days. Angry and sorry that I didn't tell my husband and parents often enough how much I truly love them. I'm trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter and luster to our lives. And every morning when I open my eyes, tell myself that it is special. 

Every day, every minute, every breath truly is a gift from God. 

If you received this, it is because someone cares for you. If you're too busy to take the few minutes that it takes right now to forward this, would it be the first time you didn't do the little thing that would make a difference in your relationships? I can tell you it certainly won't be the last. 

Take a few minutes to send this to a few people you care about, just to let them know that you're thinking of them. 

"People say true friends must always hold hands, but true friends don't need to hold hands because they know the other hand will always be there." 

  Life may not be the party we hoped for,   

  but while we are here we might as well dance.  

Giving God my best

As we worship God, we give Him ourselves. Romans 12:1 says, "I beseech you therefore, brethern, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God which is your reasonable service." Under the Old Testament some of the Jews were not offering their best and were condemned for it. In Malachi 1:8 we read, "And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, is it not evil?" Is it not just as evil today when we do not give God our best?

Under the New Testament we do not offer animal sacrifices as the Jews did under the Old Testament; but we give Him our lives in service to Him as a living sacrifice. In doing this we must give Him our all. Anything we do for God must be our very best. Jesus tells us in Matthew 22:37, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your mind." All our heart, soul, and mind, or in other words, our total being must be in our worship.

How do we show our love to God? Our Lord says in John 14:21, "He who has my commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me." We show our love to God when we keep His commandments. We do not show our love to God if we only keep the commandments we want to keep or if we add some of our own commandments.

In Matthew 28:18, before Christ ascended into heaven, He was giving His apostles some last minute instructions concerning those they would baptize. Jesus said, "Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you." Everything the Lord has commanded us is to be observed. We are to do all that God says and in the way He says to do it. Jesus says in Luke 6:46, "But why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"

In worship we must do all God has commanded and we must do nothing He has not authorized. Our worship must be from the heart with all reverence and sincerity. We must give Him our very best. Then and only then will we be worshipping God "in spirit and in truth". The purpose and holiness of true worship to God is a precious privilege available only to those who are obedient to the will of God.

Speeding Home

Jack took a long look at his speedometer before slowing down: 73 in a 55 zone. Fourth time in as many months. How could a guy get caught so often?

When his car had slowed to 10 miles an hour, Jack pulled over, but only partially. Let the cop worry about the potential traffic hazard. Maybe some other car will tweak his backside with a mirror. The cop was stepping out of his car, the big pad in hand.

Bob? Bob from Church? Jack sunk farther into his trench coat. This was worse than the coming ticket. A cop catching a guy from his own church. A guy who happened to be a little eager to get home after a long day at the office. A guy he was about to play golf with tomorrow.

Jumping out of the car, he approached a man he saw every Sunday, a man he'd never seen in uniform.

"Hi, Bob. Fancy meeting you like this."

"Hello, Jack." No smile.

"Guess you caught me red-handed in a rush to see my wife and kids."

"Yeah, I guess." Bob seemed uncertain. Good.

"I've seen some long days at the office lately. I'm afraid I bent the rules a bit - just this once."

Jack toed at a pebble on the pavement. "Diane said something about roast beef and potatoes tonight. Know what I mean?"

"I know what you mean. I also know that you have a reputation in our precinct." Ouch. This was not going in the right direction. Time to change tactics.

"What'd you clock me at?"

"Seventy. Would you sit back in your car, please?"

"Now wait a minute here, Bob. I checked as soon as saw you. I was barely nudging 65." The lie seemed to come easier with every ticket.

"Please, Jack, in the car"

Flustered, Jack hunched himself through the still-open door. Slamming it shut, he stared at the dashboard. He was in no rush to open the window.

The minutes ticked by. Bob scribbled away on the pad.

Why hadn't he asked for a driver's license?

Whatever the reason, it would be a month of Sundays before Jack ever sat near this cop again. A tap on the door jerked his head to the left. There was Bob, a folded paper in hand Jack rolled down the window a mere two inches, just enough room for Bob to pass him the slip.

"Thanks." Jack could not quite keep the sneer out of his voice.

Bob returned to his police car without a word. Jack watched his retreat in the mirror. Jack unfolded the sheet of paper. How much was this one going to cost?

Wait a minute. What was this? Some kind of joke?

Certainly not a ticket. Jack began to read:
"Dear Jack, Once upon a time I had a daughter. She was six when killed by a car. You guessed it- a speeding driver. A fine and three months in jail, and the man was free. Free to hug his daughters, all three of them. I only had one, and I'm going to have to wait until Heaven before I can ever hug her again.

A thousand times I've tried to forgive that man. A thousand times I thought I had. Maybe I did, but I need to do it again. Even now. Pray for me. And be careful, Jack, my son is all I have left." -- Bob

Jack turned around in time to see Bob's car pull away and head down the road. Jack watched until it disappeared. A full 15 minutes later, he too, pulled away and drove slowly home, praying for forgiveness and hugging a surprised wife and kids when he arrived.

Life is precious... Handle with care. This is an important message... Drive safely and carefully. Remember, cars are not the only things recalled by their maker.

Good for the soul

A few days ago a friend of mine took his family to a restaurant for supper. His six-year-old son asked if he could say grace.

As theu bowed their  heads he said, "God is good. God is great. Thank you for the food, and I would even thank you more if Mom gets us ice cream for dessert. And Liberty and justice for all! Amen!"

Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby he heard a woman remark, "That's what's wrong with this country. Kids today don't even know how to pray. Asking God for ice cream! Why, I never!"

Hearing this, his son burst into tears and asked him,  "Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me?"

As he held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table.

He winked at his son and said, "I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer."

"Really?" his son asked.

"Cross my heart." Then in a theatrical whisper he added (indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing), "Too bad she never asks God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes."

Naturally, he bought his kids ice cream at the end of the meal. His son stared at his for a moment and then did something my friend said he will remember the rest of his life.

He picked up his sundae and without a word walked over and placed it in front of the woman.

With a big smile he told her, "Here, this is for you. Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes, and my soul is good already."

Treasures

A man was exploring caves by the seashore. In one of the caves he found a canvas bag with a bunch of hardened clay balls. It was like someone had rolled clay balls and left them out in the sun to bake.

They didn't look like much, but they intrigued the man, so he took the bag out of the cave with him. As he strolled along the beach, he would throw the clay balls one at a time out into the ocean as far as he could.

He thought little about it, until he dropped one of the clay balls and it cracked open on a rock. Inside was a beautiful, precious stone!

Excited, the man started breaking open the remaining clay balls. Each contained a similar treasure. He found thousands of dollars worth of jewels in the 20 or so clay balls he had left. Then it struck him.

He had been on the beach a long time. He had thrown maybe 50 or 60 of the clay balls with their hidden treasure into the ocean waves. Instead of thousands of dollars in treasure, he could have taken home tens of thousands, but he had just thrown it away!

It's like that with people. We look at someone, maybe even ourselves, and we see the external clay vessel. It doesn't look like much from the outside. It isn't always beautiful or sparkling, so we discount it. We see that person as less important than someone more beautiful or stylish or well known or wealthy. But we have not taken the time to find the treasure hidden inside that person.

There is a treasure in each and every one of us. If we take the time to get to know that person, and if we ask God to show us that person the way He sees them, then the clay begins to peel away and the brilliant gem begins to shine forth.

May we not come to the end of our lives and find out that we have thrown away a fortune in friendships because the gems were hidden in bits of clay. May we see the people in our world as God sees them.

Restoring What Was Lost (Part 3)

God can reverse the shortcomings that have stymied you. He can restore lost opportunities and rearrange your life if you are repentant, if you have confessed, and especially if you ask in faith. 

-Are there children you would have liked to have had a closer relationship with? He can now make it so close that it makes up for past distance. 

-Is there a friend you ended up not being friends with? He can rejoin you, spiritually. 

-Is there a task you should have achieved? He can grant you another opportunity that bears identical prospects in ways you will never anticipate.

In prayer, go back and meditate on the situation and ask God to remedy it. Pray until you feel the flow of grace. Send love where you had not sent love. Forgive, forgive, and forgive again. In eternity, you will see it the way it should have been and even here will reap the benefits.

Ask God to go back and adjust matters. Ask Him to turn back the clock. Ask God to restore lost moments or even lost years. Fight the good fight, do it for Him, and the Lord will reverse the curse and course of the past and you will attract grace like a magnet. 

Restoring That Which Was Lost (Part 2)

3 John 1:2 "Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." 

Attitude is one of the most important ingredients in determining restoration of blessing or lack thereof for all people. Blessed people have one thing in common and that is an expectant attitude of a fresh anointing from God.

Most people begin each morning in neutral and react to events of the day. You can be blessed in life by starting each day with a positive attitude, a gratitude for the opportunities you have, and an expectancy of the best that God has promised.

We tend to live up to expectations. We get out of life just about what we put into it. Our environment becomes a mirror of our spirit, our attitude, and expectations. If we keep a great attitude, we get great results. If we have a fair attitude, we accomplish fair results, and if we have a poor attitude, we accomplish poor results.

God will give you back what you expect, so expect the very best. Don't be defensive or doubtful. Nothing changes unless you do. Before you can do something, you've got to be something. Know that you have worth and value. Show that to the world by letting the light of Christ shine through you.

Treat everyone you come in contact with as the most important person of the hour. It will build self-esteem. Smile and you'll be rewarded with a returned smile. Don't react to discourtesy. Forgive everyone who ever hurt you then forgive yourself. Radiate an attitude of confidence that God will provide your every need.

Develop these good habits and your expectancy will be rewarded by blessings. This attitude will put you into that group of people who are truly blessed, because you will know and understand how an expectant attitude enhances every aspect of your life. 
May God bless you with such an expectant attitude every day of your living. 

Regaining What We Have Lost (Part 1)

When you experience a loss, perspective is often the first casualty. You can regain it by following these five steps:

1. Acknowledge what happened. You can’t move past the loss if you don’t. This is the first step.
2. Empathize with those who suffered. Failure hurts. No one enjoys it. It should be mourned.
3. Put the loss in context. There is always more to the story. We can’t allow one loss—or even a series of losses—to define us. Failure is not the end unless you quit.
4. Point out the positive. It sounds trite, but it’s true: every cloud has a silver lining. There is something to learn, something that even failure makes possible. Your job as a believer is to find it.
5. Keep moving forward. The difference between winning and losing is not the number of losses you experience. Even winners experience failure. The difference is in whether or not you get up when you fall down and keep moving forward.

Losses are inevitable. They make us stronger and develop our character. But only if we maintain our perspective and use them to grow.

Prayer for Restoration

Joel 2:25-26 "And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. Isa. 41:18-20: I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together: That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it."

Prayer for Restoration

Lord, open doors of opportunity to me through this prayer, in the name of Jesus. I command all evil unknown forces organized against my life to be scattered, in the name of Jesus. I paralyse every activity of physical and spiritual parasites and devourers in my life, in the name of Jesus. Powers denying me my due miracles, receive the stones of fire, in the name of Jesus. I recover all the ground that I had lost to the enemy, in Jesus' name. I bind the spirit of depression, frustration and disillusionment in my life, in the name of Jesus. I command all the damages done to my life by to be repaired, in the name of Jesus.

I command all doors of good things, closed against me by the enemy to be opened, in the name of Jesus. I reject the spirit of impossibility, I claim open doors, in the name of Jesus. I decree restoration seven fold in areas of my life, in the name of Jesus. Lord, give me power for a new beginning. Lord, make my life a miracle and be glorified in every area of it, in the name of Jesus. Lord Jesus, I thank You for answering my prayer.

Amen!

God Bless You!

They walked in tandem, each of the ninety-three students filing into the already crowded auditorium. With rich maroon gowns flowing and the traditional caps, they looked almost as grown up as they felt.

Dads swallowed hard behind broad smiles, and moms freely brushed away tears.

This class would not pray during the commencements; not by choice, but because of a recent court ruling prohibiting it. The principal and several students were careful to stay within the guidelines allowed by the ruling.

They gave inspirational and challenging speeches, but no one mentioned divine guidance and no one asked for blessings on the graduates or their families.

The speeches were nice, but they were routine; until the final speech received a standing ovation.

A solitary student walked proudly to the microphone. He stood still and silent for just a moment, and then he delivered his speech -- a resounding sneeze! The rest of the students rose immediately to their feet, and in unison they said, "God bless you."

The audience exploded into applause. The graduating class found a unique way to invoke God's blessing on their future -- with or without the court's approval.

Where's Baby Jesus?

The decorating committee had just finished their beautification of
the Sanctuary for the Christmas Season. All the greenery and bells
and lovely bows were in place and on the altar was placed the
creche with Mary and Joseph, all the animals, and in the manger lay
the Baby Jesus. Satisfied with their work, the members of the
Committee closed the Sanctuary door and left for home. The Church
remained beautiful and inspirational for the season and for
Christmas Day.

The day after Christmas, the Pastor arrived at the Church rather
late, having visited those in the hospital before going to his
church. He walked into the Sanctuary, and again looked at all the
beautiful work the people had done, but noticed that the Baby Jesus
was not lying in the manger. He couldn't imagine what the trouble
was; he knew Jesus had been placed in the manger and had been there
Christmas Day. He looked everywhere, wondering what could have
happened, but could not find Him. He raised his head and gazed out
the window, and there, in the church courtyard, was little Bobby.
Bobby was pulling a shiny, new, red wagon - and inside the wagon,
there He was - the Baby Jesus!

Pastor went out and spoke to Bobby. "I noticed Baby Jesus was
missing from the manger, Bobby," commented the Pastor, "and now I
see that you have him in your wagon. Would you like to explain to
me why you removed him from the Church?" "Well, Pastor," Bobby
said, "before Christmas I prayed to the Lord for a shiny, new, red
wagon, and I promised Him that he saw fit to get me one, I would
give Him a ride. I had to keep my promise because He keeps His
promises to me. I will put Him back in His manger now; he has had a
long ride."

Luke 18:17 Jesus said, "Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not
receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter
therein."

Words Some Women Use-A Little Medicine For The Soul's Sake

1. FINE
   This is the word women use to end an argument when they feel they are right and you need to shut up. Never use "fine" to describe how a woman looks - this will cause you to have one of those arguments. 
   
   
2. FIVE MINUTES
   This is half an hour. It is equivalent to the five minutes that your football game is going to last before you take out the trash, so it's an even trade. 
   
   
3. NOTHING
   This means "something," and you should be on your toes. "Nothing" is usually used to describe the feeling a woman has of wanting to turn you inside out, upside down, and backwards! "Nothing" usually signifies an argument that will last "Five Minutes" and end with "Fine" 
   
   
4. GO AHEAD (With Raised Eyebrows)
   This is a dare. One that will result in a woman getting upset over "Nothing" and will end with the word "Fine" 
   
   
5. GO AHEAD (Normal Eyebrows)
   This means "I give up" or "do what you want because I don't care" You will get a "Raised Eyebrow Go Ahead" in just a few minutes, followed by "Nothing" and "Fine" and she will talk to you in about "Five Minutes" when she cools off. 
   
   
6. LOUD SIGH
   This is not actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A "Loud Sigh" means she thinks you are an idiot at that moment, and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you over "Nothing" 
   
   
7. SOFT SIGH
   Again, not a word, but a non-verbal statement. "Soft Sighs" mean that she is content. Your best bet is to not move or breathe, and she will stay content. 
   
   
8. THAT'S OKAY
   This is one of the most dangerous statements that a woman can make to a man. "That's Okay" means that she wants to think long and hard before paying you back for whatever it is that you have done. "That's Okay" is often used with the word "Fine" and in conjunction with a "Raised Eyebrow." 
   
   
9. GO AHEAD
   At some point in the near future, you are going to be in some mighty big trouble. 
   
   
10. PLEASE DO
    This is not a statement, it is an offer. A woman is giving you the chance to come up with whatever excuse or reason you have for doing whatever it is that you have done. You have a fair chance with the truth,so be careful and you shouldn't get a "That's Okay" 
    
    
11. THANKS
    A woman is thanking you. Do not faint. Just say you're welcome. 
    
    
12. THANKS A LOT
    This is much different from "Thanks." A woman will say, "Thanks A Lot" when she is really ticked off at you. It signifies that you have offended her in some callous way, and will be followed by the "Loud Sigh." Be careful not to ask what is wrong after the "Loud Sigh," as she will only tell you "Nothing"

Paid In Full

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door.

Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk.

He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I owe you?”

“You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness.”

He said, “Then I thank you from my heart.”

As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Year’s later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease.

Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room.

Dressed in his doctor’s gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the case.

After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room.

She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She began to read the following words:

“Paid in full with one glass of milk”

Signed, Dr. Howard Kelly.

Believe In Yourself

There may be days when you get up in the morning and things aren’t the way you had hoped they would be.

That’s when you have to tell yourself that things will get better. There are times when people disappoint you and let you down.

But those are the times when you must remind yourself to trust your own judgments and opinions, to keep your life focused on believing in yourself.

There will be challenges to face and changes to make in your life, and it is up to you to accept them.

Constantly keep yourself headed in the right direction for you. It may not be easy at times, but in those times of struggle you will find a stronger sense of who you are.

So when the days come that are filled with frustration and unexpected responsibilities, remember to believe in yourself and all you want your life to be.

Because the challenges and changes will only help you to find the goals that you know are meant to come true for you.

Take Care Of The Rocks

A philosophy professor stood before his class with some items on the table in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks, about 2 inches in diameter.

He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up the remaining open areas of the jar.

He then asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “Yes.”

“Now,” said the professor, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The rocks are the important things – your family, your partner, your health, your children – things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter – like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else, the small stuff.”

“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “there is no room for the pebbles or the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take your partner out dancing. There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party, or fix the disposal.”

“Take care of the rocks first – the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

And God created Teachers

On the 6th day, God created men and women. On the 7th day, he rested. Not so much to recuperate, but rather to prepare himself for the work he was going to do on the next day. For it was on that day - the 8th day - that God created the FIRST TEACHER.

This TEACHER, though taken from among men and women, had several significant modifications. In general, God made the TEACHER more durable than other men and women. The TEACHER was made to arise at a very early hour and to go to bed no earlier than 11:30 PM with no rest in between.

The TEACHER had to be able to withstand being locked up in an air-tight classroom for six hours with thirty-five "monsters" on a rainy Monday. And the TEACHER had to be fit to correct 103 papers over Easter vacation. Yes, God made the TEACHER tough... but gentle, too. The TEACHER was equipped with soft hands to wipe away the tears of the neglected and lonely student... those of the sixteen-year old girl who was not asked to the prom.

And into the TEACHER God poured a generous amount of patience. Patience when a student asks to repeat the directions the TEACHER has just repeated for someone else. Patience when the kids forget their lunch money for the fourth day in a row. Patience when one-third of the class fails the test. Patience when the text books haven't arrived yet, and the semester starts tomorrow.

And God gave the TEACHER a heart slightly bigger than the average human heart. For the Teacher's heart had to be big enough to love the kid who screams, "I hate this class - it's boring!" and to love the kid who runs out of the classroom at the end of the period without so much as a "goodbye," let alone a "thank you."

And lastly, God gave the TEACHER an abundant supply of HOPE. For God knew that the TEACHER would always be hoping. Hoping that the kids would someday learn how to spell... hoping not to have lunchroom duty... hoping that Friday would come... hoping for a free day... hoping for deliverance.

When God finished creating the TEACHER, he stepped back and admired the work of His hands. And God saw that the TEACHER was good. Very Good! And God smiled, for when he looked at the TEACHER, he saw into the future.

He knew that the future is in the hands of the TEACHERS. And because God loves TEACHERS so much... on the 9th day God created... SNOW DAYS!

Live

All of us want to do well, but if we do not do good too, then doing well will never be enough.

It is so easy to waste our lives, our days, our hours, our minutes. It is so easy to take for granted the color of our grandkids' eyes, the way the melody in a song rises and falls and disappears and rises again. It is so easy to exist instead of to live. I learned to live 10 years ago after a life-altering accident. I learned to love the journey, not just the destination. I learned that life is not a dress rehearsal, and that today is the only guarantee you get.

Get a life in which you are not alone. Find people you love, and who love you. And remember that love is not leisure, it is work. Pick up the phone. Send an e-mail. Write a letter. Get a life in which you are generous and realize that life is the best thing ever, and that you have no business taking it for granted. Care so deeply about its goodness that you want to spread it around. Take money you would have spent on junk and give it to charity. Help the hurting and those that are down and out.

Learn to look at all the good in the world and try to give some of it back because you believe in it completely and utterly. I've tried to do that by telling others what I have learned as a father, grandfather, pastor, and a Christian. So simply put:

-Consider the lilies of the field. 

-Look at the fuzz on your grandbaby's ear. 

-Read in the backyard with the sun on your face. 

-Learn to be happy. 

-And think of life as a terminal illness, because if you do, you will live it with joy and passion as it ought to be lived.

I'm tired of wasting time-how about you?

Sleeping Thru A Storm

A young man applied for a job as a farmhand.  When the farmer asked for his qualifications, he said, "I can sleep through a storm."

This puzzled the farmer, but he liked the young man so he hired him.

A few weeks later, the farmer and his wife were awakened in the night by a violent storm ripping through the valley.  He leapt out of bed and called for his new hired hand, but the young man was sleeping soundly.

So they quickly began to check things to see if all was secure.  They found that the shutters of the farmhouse had been securely fastened.  A good supply of logs had been set next to the fireplace.

The farmer and his wife then inspected their property.  They found that the farm tools had been placed in the storage shed, safe from the elements.  He sees that the bales of wheat had been bound and wrapped in tarpaulins.

The tractor had been moved into its garage. The barn was properly locked tight. Even the animals were calm and had plenty of feed. All was well.

The farmer then understood the meaning of the young man's words, "I can sleep through a storm."

Because the farmhand did his work loyally and faithfully when the skies were clear, he was prepared for any storm.  So when the storm did actually break, he was not concerned or afraid.  He could sleep in peace.

If we tend to the things that are important in life and if we are right with those we love and behave in line with our faith,  our lives will not be cursed with the aching of unfulfilled business. Our words will always be sincere, our embraces will be tight. We will never wallow in the agony of "I could have or I should have." And when it's our time to go, our good-byes will be complete.

We can sleep in a storm.

Be A Winner

Have you ever heard the quote by Mark Twain "The world owes you nothing, it was here first?" A conversation I had yesterday got me thinking. Why does everyone think we're just entitled to success? The truth is You and I don't deserve anything. Yet, you deserve to have it all.

Does that make sense? Two opposites, that at only the highest level of awareness. Can you sit at both completely comfortable and content being in both realties because both are true? The world is unfortunately set up for your failure. All the odds are against you. But aren't there promises blatantly scribed in the scriptures proclaiming we are and we become what we seek.

Here's what I am saying. Today you have the option to become whatever you want. You have the option to design your life and your current situation is the direct consequence by your design (or default) in the past. And I'm talking about specifics.

A young man was telling a story in a book about how for months he prayed to God asking for a bicycle and a desk. Discouraged and in tears one night, this kid sought for God to question Him "Why are you forgetting me? I've been praying ever so diligently" God responded; "You've asked for nothing, I have no idea what bicycle you want, there are thousands of varieties, and your desk? How big? What color? Do you want a chair too?"

The boy stirred up his faith and captured his dream bike and desk on paper. He wanted an American bike (was from Asia) and a desk made of Philippine mahogany. After some time in thought, he went back to sleep. The best part of the story was a few months later he had the exact bike he wanted and the desk he longed for.

What do you want? Looking for a spouse? Have you clearly written down exactly what your ideal spouse looks like, sounds like, does for a living, their body type, race, occupation? How about your dream business or clientele? What kind of customers do you want? You want those that are absolutely in love with your product, that refer you to their colleagues, and that will reorder religiously. This works for everything!

Once things are clearly defined and you realize that as much as you are worth every bit to receive this now you have to set your sights on accepting it into your life.mThere is nothing that will stomp on a dream or a vision or a plan than lack of faith and crossed arms. Open wide.

There is a common phrase we hear so often "Ask and you shall receive," but they sometimes leave out the next portion "Seek and you shall find." The next step is to seek the information. Seek the prospects (business or romantic LOL!). To seek is to act. To act is to win.

Be a winner!

The Empty Chair

A man’s daughter had asked the local minister to come and pray with her father. When the minister arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two  pillows.

An empty chair sat beside his bed.

The minister assumed that the old fellow had been informed of his visit. “I guess you were  expecting me," he said.

“No, who are you?” said the father.

The minister told him his name and then remarked, “I saw the empty chair and I figured you knew I was going to show up,”

“Oh yeah, the chair,” said the bedridden man. “Would you mind closing the door?”

Puzzled, the minister shut the door.

“I have never told anyone this, not even my daughter,” said the man. “But all of my life I have never known how to pray. At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer, but it went right over my head. I abandoned any attempt at prayer,” the old man continued, “until one day, four years ago, my best friend said to me, ‘Johnny, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus. Here is what I suggest...’”

‘Sit down in a chair; place an empty chair in front of you, and in faith see Jesus on the chair. It’s not spooky, because He promised, ‘I will be with you always.’ Then just speak to Him in the same way you’re doing with me right now.’”

“So, I tried it and I’ve liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day. I’m careful though. If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she’d either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm.”

The minister was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old man to continue on the journey. Then he prayed with him, anointed him with oil, and returned to the church.

Two nights later the daughter called to tell the minister that her daddy had died that afternoon.

“Did he die in peace?” the minister asked.

“Yes. When I left the house about two o’clock, he called me over to his bedside, told me he loved me and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back from the store an hour later, I found him dead. But, there was something strange about his death. Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head on the chair beside the bed. What do you make of that?”

The minister wiped a tear from his eye and said, “I wish we could all go like that.”

Can You Remember?

Close your eyes and go back before the Internet, or the MAC-Before semi automatics and crack...Way back. I'm talkin' 'bout:

Hide and seek at dusk. Sittin' on the porch, The Good Humor Man, and Red Light, Green Light.

Chocolate milk, Lunch tickets, Penny candy in a brown paper bag.
Playin' Pinball at the corner store. Hopscotch, butterscotch, doubledutch, Jacks, kickball, dodgeball, Mother May I? Red Rover and Roly Poly.

Double Dog Dares! Hula Hoops and Sunflower Seeds, Mary Janes, Banana Splits, Wax Lips and Mustaches, and running through the sprinklers.

The smells of outdoors and lickin' salty lips.
Watchin' Saturday Morning cartoons like Fat Albert, Road Runner, He-Man, The Three Stooges, and Bugs. Or back further listening to Superman and The Shadow on the radio.

Catchin' lightening bugs in a jar, Playin' sling shot.

Remember when around the corner seemed far away and going downtown seemed like going somewhere?

Climbing trees, an ice cream cone on a warm summer night. A cherry Coke from the fountain at the drug store.

A million mosquito bites, sticky fingers, Cops and Robbers, Cowboys and Indians, Sittin' on the curb, Jumpin' down the steps, Jumpin' on the bed.

Pillow fights, Being tickled to death, Running 'til you were out of breath, Laughing so hard your stomach hurt.

Crowding in a circle around the 'after school fight', then running when the teacher came.

Eating Kool-aid powder and sugar.

Remember when there were two types of sneakers for girls and boys (Keds & PF Flyers) and the only time you wore them at school, was for "gym."

When it took five minutes for the TV to warm up, if you had one. When nearly everyone's mom was at home after school.                                                           When nobody owned a purebred dog. When a quarter was a decent allowance, and another quarter a miracle.

When milk went up one penny. When your Mom wore nylons that came in two pieces.
When all your male teachers wore neckties and female teachers had their hair done.
When you got your windshield cleaned, oil checked, and gas pumped, without asking, for free, every time. And, you didn't pay for air either, plus you got trading stamps to boot!

When laundry detergent had free glasses, dishes or towels hidden inside the box.
When any parent could discipline any kid, or use him to carry groceries, and nobody, not even the kid, thought a thing of it.

When it was considered a great privilege to be taken out to dinner at a real restaurant with your parents.

When they threatened to hold kids back a grade if they failed... and did!

When being sent to the principal's office was nothing compared to the fate that awaited a student at home. We were in fear for our lives, but it wasn't because of drive by shootings, drugs, gangs, etc. Our parents and grandparents scared us! And some of us are still afraid of em!

To smile and say, "Oh yeah... I remember..."

Didn't that feel good?

There's nothing like the good old days! They were good then, and they're still good now, when we think about them.

Can Anybody See God?

A small boy once approached his slightly older sister with a question about God.

"Susie, can anybody ever really see God?" he asked. Busy with other things, Susie curtly replied: "No, of course not, silly. God is so far up in heaven that nobody can see him."

Time passed, but his question still lingered, so he approached his mother: "Mom, can anybody ever really see God?" "No, not really," she gently said. "God is a spirit and he dwells in our hearts, but we can never really see him."

Somewhat satisfied but still wondering, the youngster went on his way. Not long afterwards, his saintly old grandfather took the little boy on a fishing trip. They were having a great time together -- it had been an ideal day. The sun was beginning to set with unusual splendor as the day ended.

The old man stopped fishing and turned his full attention to the exquisite beauty unfolding before him.  On seeing the face of his grandfather reflecting such deep peace and contentment as he gazed into the magnificent ever-changing sunset, the little boy thought for a moment and finally spoke hesitatingly: "Granddad, I - I wasn't going to ask anybody else, but I wonder if you can tell me the answer to something I've been wondering about a long time. Can anybody, can anybody ever really see God?"

The old man did not even turn his head. A long moment slipped by before he finally answered. "Son," he quietly said. "It's getting so I can't see anything else."

Why Go To Church?

A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday.  "I've gone for 30 years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons.  But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them.  So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all."

This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor.  It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher: 
"I've been married for 30 years now.  In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals.  But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals.  But I do know this... They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work.  If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today.  Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!"

Eating twinkles in the park with God

A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of Root Beer and he started his journey.

When he had gone about three blocks, he met an elderly man. The man was sitting in the park just feeding some pigeons.

The boy sat down next to him and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the man looked hungry, so he offered him a Twinkie.

The man gratefully accepted it and smiled at boy. His smile was so pleasant that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered him a root beer.

Again, the man smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.

As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the man, and gave him a hug. The man gave him his biggest smile ever.

When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy?

"He replied, "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? God's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"

Meanwhile, the elderly man, also radiant with joy, returned to his home. His son was stunned by the look of peace on his face and he asked," Dad, what did you do today that made you so happy?"

He replied, "I ate Twinkies in the park with God." However, before his son responded, he added," You know, he's much younger than I expected."